Automobile handling apparatus



March 25, 1930. H. s. MOORE I AUTOMOBILE I IANDLING APPARATUS Filed June19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I {7}] n 7 6 5 A? gnwntoz 154,5- "0 areMarch 25, 1930. H s. MOORE 1,751,874

AUTOMOBILE HANDLING APPARATUS .Filed Jun 19, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Mar. 25, 1930 noRA'rIo S.MOOBE, or BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIAAUTOMOBILE HANDLING APPARATUS,

Application filed .Tune 19,

This invention relates to automobile han-' 'dling apparatus, and it isan object of the invention to provide a device of this kind whereby anautomobile may be lifted under its own power.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kindfor lifting an automobile in order to facilitate the removal orapplication of tires andisuch work upon 19 the vehicle as may be bestperformed from proved whereby certain important advantages are below.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and ar-' rangement ofth-e several parts of my imautomobilehandling apparatus attained and the device rendered simpler,

less expensive and'otherwise more convenient V and advantageous for use,as w1ll be llGIGlllafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a View in side elevation with portions insection illustrating an automobile handling apparatus constructed inaccordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the structure as illustrated in Figure1 with certain of the parts insection and the vehicle omitted;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 1 showing the apparatus in liftingadjustment and the platform comprisedin the apparatus in a position tofacilitate working upon the front wheels;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken through Figure 2 andsomewhat of a diagrammatic character;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view partly in section andpartlyfin elevation illustrating the driving means as herein embodied. Vi

As herein disclosed, my improved apparatus comprises ,a platform Pembodying the parallel trackways 1 suitably connected by the crossmembers or sills 2. The sills 2 underlie the trackways 1 and in thepresent em- 1928." Serial No. 286,592.

bodiment of my invention provide a support for the platform when saidplatform is in its lowermost position and in contact with the ground orkindred surface, as particularly illustrated in Figures 1, 4 and 5.

Each of the trackways 1 comprises preferably a channel member havingrelatively high side fianges a. Extendin upwardly from the oppositesides of the platform are the outboard bearings 3 providing mountingsfor the shafts 4, said shafts being in parallelism with respect-to eachother and the trackways 1. Each of the shafts 4 at desired points spacedthereon has fixed thereto winding drums or pulleys 5.

The base portions of thetrackways 1 closelyadjacent to an end of theplatform P are provided with the cut out portions 6 through which extendfrom below the aligned pulleys 7 and 8 fixed respectively to the shafts9 and 10. The shafts 9 and 10 are disposed transversely of the platformand rotatably'supported by the depending bearings 11. The pulleys 7 andthe associated shaft 9 are idle wh lethe pulleys 8 and shaft 10constitute N a driving means for the shafts 4, the extremities of theshafts 10 being in driving connection, as at 12, with the adjacent endportions of the shafts 4. These driving connections 12 may be aspreferred but preferably through i the instrumentality of worm gears ofdesired ratio to cause the. shafts 4 to rotate at a materiallyreducedspeed with respect to the shaft 10. i

l/Vinding upon the drums or pulleys 5 are therearound and extendupwardly and over the sheaves 15 supported a desired distance aboveth'e'ground or other surface, the members orcables 14 extendingdownwardly from the sheaves 15 and being suitably anchored at theopposite end, as at 16, to the platform P. Upon rotation of the pulleys7 and 8 and the resultant rotation of the shafts 4 in the one direction,the members or cables 14 will wind upon the drums orpulleys 5 resultingin the ing act-ion afiorded by the worm drives 12. As a result of suchlocking action in order to lower the platform it is necessary that theshaft 10 bedriven in the opposite or reverse direction.

lVhen the platform P is in its lowered position the check 17 isemployedin connection with the end of each of the trackways 1 adjacenttothe pulleys 7 so that a motor vehicle may be driven up upon the platformP. The flanges a of each of the trackways 1 are provided with theopenings 18 through which a rod or kindred elongated member is adaptedto be inserted for interlocking engagement with a pulley 7 so that asthe vehicle is driven upon the platform the wheels of said vehicle willreadily pass over-tee pulleys 7 to bring the drive wheels of the vehicleinto proper contact from above with each pair of adjacent pulleys 7 and8. The pulleys 7 are then released and as the drive wheels of thevehicle operate the shaft lO'will be rotated to effect the requisitewinding-of the members or cables 1 upon the drums or pulleys 5 toelevate the platform P and the vehicle thereon a desired height. Whenthe platform P has been raised or elevated as desired, a fulcrum mediumis engaged with said platform preferably at a point rearwardly of thelongitudinal center of the platform. As herein disclosed, the fulcrummedium comprises a flexile member 19 for coaction with each side portionof the platform and suspended from a suitable stationary support 20 withthe lower extremity of the member carrying a hook 21 for engagement withan eye member 22 or the like carried by the adjacent side of theplatform P. After the platform P with its load has been lifted todesired height, suitable supporting members M are engaged with theopposite end portions of the vehicle or load to support the sameindependently of the platform P. The drive wheels are then driven inreverse to unwind from the drums or pulleys 5 the members or cables 14.

During this operation, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 3, theplatform will swing upon the fulcrum medium to cause the forward endportion of the plat-form to drop below and away from the front wheels ofthe vehicle while the rear portion of the platform will swing upwardlyto assure the pulleys 7 and 8 being maintained in requisite contact withthe rear or drive wheels of the vehicle so that when it is desired tolower the vehicle the forward rotation of the drive wheels of thevehicle will result in turning the platform in proper contact with thefront and rear wheels of the vehicle and to lift the vehicle a distancesufliciently to facilitate the removal or disengagement of the fulcrummedium. After the platform has been elevated to again contact with allof the wheels, the fulcrum medium may be released from the plat-form P,and the drive wheels of the vehicle rotated in reverse directionresulting in the desired lowering of the platform and vehicle.

By providing the desired fulcrum medium whereby the platform may bevertically swung with respect to the vehicle it will be readilyunderstood that tires may be conveniently applied or removed. Should itbe desired to remove or apply the rear tires it is only required thatthe lower forward end of the platform be manually lifted whereupon therear portion of the platform will swing downwardly away from such rearwheels. In practice this lifting of the forward portion of theplatformrequires but slight effort on the part-of the operator and saidforward end will be maintained in such lifted position by any suitablesupport or prop.

The forward end portion ofeach of the trackways'l has its side flangesprovided with a series of longitudinally spaced openings 23 to providemeans whereby the forward end of each trackway maybe intersected by arod or kindred member to provide means for limiting the extent offorward movement of the vehicle upon the platform. The openings 23 arespaced to compensate for vehicles of varying wheel bases.- It is to beadded, however, that this stopping means is not at all times necessary.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that anautomobile handling apparatus constructed in accordance with myinvention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of theconvenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated,and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of somechange and modification without departing from the principles and spiritthereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself to the precise arrangement and formation. of the several partsherein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except ashereinafter claimed;

I claim 1. An automobile handling apparatus comprising a platform havinga pair of spaced trackways, means for holding said trackways in spacedrelation to each other and to a floor or the ground, a pair oftransverse shafts rotatably mounted beneath said trackways and spacedinwardly from one end thereof, said shafts being mounted in spacedrelation to each other, a plurality of drums rotatably mounted on saidshafts andwithin said trackways, a gear secured to each of the oppositeends of one'of said transverse shafts, a pair of parallel shaftsrotatably mounted outwardly of said trackways, a gear secured to one endof said shafts and adapted to engage said first gear whereby to turnsaid parallel shafts cooperatively with said transverse shafts, aplurality of posts mounted on the floor or ground, winding means securedto said parallel shafts and engaging guide means on said posts wherebyto raise the platform upon the turnin of the drums, and

holding means for hol ing the platform in raised position.

2. An automobile handling apparatus comprising a platform having a pairof spaced trackways, means for holding said trackways in spaced relationto each other and to a floor or the ground,.a plurality of transverseshafts rotatably mounted beneath said track- 7 ways, a plurality ofdrums mounted on said shafts and within said trackways, a ear secured tothe opposite end portions 0 one of said transverse shafts, a pair ofparallel shafts rotatably mounted outwardly of said trackways, ;a secondgear secured to one ,nrend pf said shafts and adapted to engage saidfi'rst gear whereby to turn said parallel 29 shafts cooperatively. withsaid transverse shafts, a pair of drums mounted on each of said parallelshafts, a plurality of guide posts mounted outwardly of said drums onsaid parallel shafts, a plurality of pulleys V rotatably secured to saidguide posts, rope means adapted to engage said drums and said pulleyswhereby to raise the platform, and means for holding the platform inraised position.

so In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

HORATIO S. MOORE.

